arijitroy2
Headphoneus Supremus
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Yeah US might not support the LTE bands. I bought mine from Steve since I live in EU and the bands seems to match what R8 supports. We'll see in few days!!
HiBy R8 User Impressions
- Thread starter Nayparm
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Wireless performance. First one for 2.4GHz, second for 5GHz. I have a 1Gbps (I can nearly reach that limit on my computer) network, so these are really the limits R8 can reach.
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Not to confuse or delay you further, but if you know HiBy, you also know there'll likely be an improved R8 Pro coming out next year. I'm delighted HiBy is finally getting some love from the "serious" dap buyers. I have the R6 Pro and still regard it as the best full Android portable player on the market. Just love the slightly fuller HiBy sound compared to the thinner FiiOs, and even preferred it to the LPGT with my IEMs and music over a recent week-long audition. While less portable, the R8 looks to have upped both sound and features of the R6 Pro, so I can only imagine what HiBy has lined up for the R8 Pro. That's the one I'm waiting for, because like you I'm so completely happy with my dap and in no rush whatsoever to upgrade.
What else do you think could be upgraded? The only possible "upgrade" would be the AK4499 change which would not even make any sense, at least would not be a reason for me to "upgrade". They might try to push the limits and make something like a cheaper SP2000 (more on-board storage like 512Gb, AK4499) but that would be at least +€1000 which would position it in another segment. I don't think they could change the board and overall design just for an upgrade, and AK4499 is not a drop in replacement for AK4497. So I frankly would not expect any product in less than two years time. Especially if you think the LTE conformance / acceptance must have costed them a fortune already. Doing that again in less than a year with a new product? I am not so sure about that.
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I'm not sure, just speculating on what they've done before: R6 -> R6 Pro, R3 -> R3 Pro. The R5 is relatively new so hasn't got the Pro treatment yet, but I'm sure it's coming.
Hard to say what they'll change, but maybe put in a beefier and even quieter amp stage, maybe a tube option (doubtful), maybe a switch to the new Sabre flagship DACs. Who knows.
Of course with Covid things are still up in the air, so if they have already started on a Pro design, we may only see it towards the end of next year or into 2022. Or they may decide to skip the 8 Pro and bring in a 7-series dap to bridge the gaping hole between the R6 Pro and R8 price points.
Time will tell. My point is something new is always coming (especially from HiBy), and I'm not in a rush. That said, in a year's time if used R8 prices hover around $1k, it would be a tasty update on the R6 Pro for sure.
@twister6 I really hope you'll be contacting the R8 to the R6 Pro in your review so we know what the extra $1300 in today's market buys you.
Doctortre2481
100+ Head-Fier
I'm not sure what impress me more the r8 download speed or your internet . Is this faster than other daps you've own?Wireless performance. First one for 2.4GHz, second for 5GHz. I have a 1Gbps (I can nearly reach that limit on my computer) network, so these are really the limits R8 can reach.
I own only one DAP actually (both MAX and M15 are gone). There is northing that comes even close to R8. The closest was M15 (read it also as M11 and M11Pro) and that was about 125Mbps on 5GHz, looking at my past posts. 2.4GHz performances at the maximum rate were closer but MAX was extremely unstable (with a maximum of about 32Mbps), like I move it 50cm on my table and it suddenly receives 8X slower, which was not the case with M15.
Yes, R7 might be a possibility, and if it comes I would expect it to have the same controller SD660 but smaller in size, less battery, less in-box deliveries (e.g. no cases) and less output power (no turbo mode), maybe a single AK4497 or a 4499 DAC, or maybe dual two channel ESS QM chips (PRO ESS chips have 8 channels) like R6. Of course, no LTE version. Just a guess...
KevP
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I’ve just got my R8. How do you get full MQA unfolding to 768 kHz on Tidal? I’m only getting 96 kHzAnd another16x MQA at 768 kHz...
KevP
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How did you get that? On my Tidal account it’s only showing 96k. Is there something I’m not doing?For the MQA users: I created a temporary TIDAL test account to test MQA playing and here is what I got. Is this what 16x MQA is? 705.6kHz!
Btw, it’s fs tasting to use. Very responsive. Lovely screen. Just need to get MQA working properly in Tidal.
Have you plugged headphones in? You'll only get full unfold with headphones plugged in.
I didn't do anything, and it could be that what you are seeing is right and what I am seeing is wrong - normally as I understand MQA 2X should be 96kHz. What I am seeing there is a kind of upsampled audio, and I would expect that there is no upsampling by default. So, I would actually expect to see 96 kHz for MQA 2X, rather than 768 kHz.
That could be it. DSD (512?) is also only possible when HPs are plugged in. When there is no HP plugged in, the output defaults to SPDIF and DSD playing is not possible.
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Are you talking about the exact same song on Tidal where the sampling rate is different? Wow, didn't know they make master tracks on Tidal at that high sampling rate... Don't have Tidal myself, I use Qobuz, so can't test it.
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Don’t discount the fact that these tracks can also be upscale by the usages of software algorithms as well
MrWalkman
Headphoneus Supremus
Tidal itself will only do a 2x unfold of a MQA file, hence the 88.2/96kHz. However, there are MQA files that are packed in the MQA format from higher sample rates, and with MQA-enabled equipment, they can be further unfolded to the original sample rate.
For example, Dragonfly Black/Blu/Cobalt can act as a MQA Renderer, and you would need to select the DAC as the output device, and enable the Exclusive mode for it if you want it to work. In this caee, Tidal does the first unfold, and then the DAC does the next unfold, to 88.2/96kHz.
Other devices can be MQA Decoders, and for those you would also need to enable "MQA Passthrough", so the entire file would be passed to the DAC, which will do all the decoding. These devices can usually do the full unfold, to sample rates like the one in the screenshot above.
Edit: I downloaded the MQA file from Tidal, and the original sample rate is only 88.2 kHz. Are you sure that the player is not just upsampling all audio to the maximum capable sample rate?
Interesting theory, but that would be done by the record label, and I don't exactly see record labels do that.
For example, Dragonfly Black/Blu/Cobalt can act as a MQA Renderer, and you would need to select the DAC as the output device, and enable the Exclusive mode for it if you want it to work. In this caee, Tidal does the first unfold, and then the DAC does the next unfold, to 88.2/96kHz.
Other devices can be MQA Decoders, and for those you would also need to enable "MQA Passthrough", so the entire file would be passed to the DAC, which will do all the decoding. These devices can usually do the full unfold, to sample rates like the one in the screenshot above.
Edit: I downloaded the MQA file from Tidal, and the original sample rate is only 88.2 kHz. Are you sure that the player is not just upsampling all audio to the maximum capable sample rate?
Don’t discount the fact that these tracks can also be upscale by the usages of software algorithms as well
Interesting theory, but that would be done by the record label, and I don't exactly see record labels do that.
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